Geriatric oral health predicaments in New Delhi, India

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to analyze geriatric oral health predicaments in India. Specifically, to assess the oral health status and treatment needs among the geriatric population attending health camps in New Delhi, Northern India.

Methods: The sample size for the cross-sectional study comprised of 248 elderly participants aged 60 years having attended the health check-up camps organized in New Delhi, India. The community periodontal index was used for assessment of periodontal disease. The World Health Organization's criterion was used for detection of dentition status and treatment needs. The χ(2) -test was used to compare between categorical variables. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare between two groups for quantitative variables. Regression analysis was carried out to identify the factors associated with dental caries and periodontal disease status.

Results: The mean number of affected sextants with the highest community periodontal index score of 4 was 3.54 ± 2.45. Mean decayed, missing and filled teeth score of 16.39 ± 8.97 was recorded among the elderly. Prosthetic need was noted among 206 (83.1%) participants. Age and literacy status contributed to 27% and 12% of the variance respectively in the decayed, missing and filled teeth model. (P < 0.001) Major contributory factors in the periodontal disease model for the 37%, 11% and 11% variance were age, sex and tobacco consumption (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: Two striking features of the study were the high levels of unmet prosthetic needs and the extremely low utilization of dental care. There is an urgent necessity to resolve the high burden of unmet prosthetic need among the aged in India.